Indian cotton imports from Brazil up 10 times this season as shipments surge to record high
NEW DELHI : The Central government told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that cotton imports from Brazil have jumped 10 times this season (2024-25 ending September) in volume and value. Imports from the US have doubled during the period as shipments into the country to meet the demand, especially for extra long staple variety, surged to a record high.
In a written reply in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Shri Ramnath Thakur, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, gave the details of cotton imports for the period between 2019-20 and 2024-25 (up to May 31, 2025).
India’s imports from Brazil increased from 67,805 bales (170 kg) valued at ₹152 crore in 2023-24 to 6,54,819 bales valued ₹1,620 crore during May-end of 2024-25.
Export of cotton from the US increased from 2,68,728 bales valued ₹1361 crore in 2023-24 to 5,25,523 bales valued ₹1,802 crore during May-end of 2024-25.
Overall, 27 lakh bales were imported till May 31 against 15.19 lakh bales for the entire 2023-14 season. Imports from Australia, too, increased significantly to 5.13 lakh bales compared with 3.58 lakh bales in 2023-14.
Tea export to Iran
To a query on the impact of Iran-Israel conflict on Indian tea exports to Iran, Shri Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, said in a written reply that no reports of Indian tea exports being impacted due to the Iran-Israel conflict have been received, rather tea exports from India to Iran have grown from $29.62 million in 2023 to $40.81 million in 2024.
Tea exports to Iran stood at $23.21 million during January-June 2025 against $20.38 million in the same period of previous year, showing an increase of 13.89 per cent, he said.
Milk margin
In a written reply on processing margins in milk, Shri SP Singh Baghel, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, said the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Government of India, regularly monitors the milk situation in the country in consultation with State milk federations / stakeholders to review the milk situation the country.
As per the milk situation report provided by the State milk federation / unions, the average procurement price of milk paid to the farmers during the month of June 2025 was about ₹47.70 per kg of milk containing 6 per cent fat and 9 per cent solids-not-fat (SNF) and the sale price for milk containing 6 per cent fat and 9 per cent SNF was ₹65.04 per litre. This implies that about 73 per cent of consumer prices is directly returned to the farmers in terms of procurement price, he added.
Women in FPOs
Replying to a question on FPOs (farmer producer organisations) on Tuesday, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, said 10,000 FPOs have been registered under the Central sector scheme for ‘Formation and Promotion of 10,000 FPOs’.
“As on June 30, 1,663 FPOs are registered as 100 per cent women members. Additionally, 949 FPOs have more than 50 per cent women members,” he said.
Telangana tops the list with 359 FPOs with 100 per cent women shareholders, followed by Andhra Pradesh at 228 FPOs and Jharkhand at 117 FPOs.
Tamil Nadu had 111 FPOs with more than 50 per cent women members followed by Odisha at 89 FPOs and Bihar at 77 FPOs.
PMFBY
To a separate query on the settlement of PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana) claims in the last five years, Chouhan said 4,992.79 lakh farmer applications have been enrolled during 2020-21 to 2024-25 (up to kharif 2024). During the same period claims of ₹86,306.61 crore has been paid to 1,423.22 lakh farmer applications across the country. Further, ₹5,405.2 crore (5.9 per cent) is pending for payment.
During kharif 2023 to kharif 2024, about 69 per cent claims have been settled within 30 days from reporting of yield by States / crop loss notification by State or intimation by farmers, he said.
Horticulture productivity
To a question on productivity in horticulture sector, Chouhan said the sector has shown a remarkable growth in the last decade wherein fruit production has increased to 1129.7 lakh tonnes (2023-24) from 866 lakh tonnes (2014-15) with 30 per cent increase.
During the same period, vegetable production has increased to 2072 lakh tonnes (2023-24) from 1694.7 lakh tonnes (2014-15) with 22 per cent increase.
The productivity of fruits has also increased from 14.17 to 15.80 tonnes per hectare, whereas the productivity of vegetables has increased from 17.76 to 18.40 tonnes per hectare during the same period. This growth indicates that the increase in production and productivity of fruits and vegetables is on track to meet predicted future demand, he added.